Photographing apparatus and operation control method for the same

ABSTRACT

A photographing apparatus includes: an image pickup section picking up an object image to acquire a picked-up image; a display section capable of showing a display based on the picked-up image; a touch panel generating a signal corresponding to a predetermined operation; and a control section detecting a direction of a slide operation on the touch panel and performing control to select one of multiple items displayed on the display section on the basis of the direction of the slide operation; and the control section sets a display position of each of the multiple items to correspond to an operation direction for selecting the item on a one to one basis and selects one of the multiple items corresponding to the direction of the slide operation in the selection.

This application claims benefit of Japanese Application No. 2012-24469filed in Japan on Feb. 7, 2012, the contents of which are incorporatedby this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a photographing apparatus having atouch-operable display panel and an operation control method therefor.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, mobile apparatuses equipped with a photographing function(photographing apparatuses), such as a digital camera, have spread. Somephotographing apparatuses of this kind are provided with a display panelconfigured by an LCD or the like and an electronic viewfinder. Theelectronic viewfinder is provided with a small-size LCD panel fordisplaying a picked-up image and an eye piece section. A user canconfirm the picked-up image by observing the LCD panel from the eyepiece section. The display panel is provided, for example, on the backsurface of the photographing apparatus and is capable of performingdisplay similar to display by the electronic viewfinder.

It is also possible to display not only a picked-up image but alsovarious menu displays and the like for controlling setting of thephotographing apparatus and a photographing operation, on the electronicviewfinder and the display panel. Furthermore, a touch panel may bearranged as the display panel, and the user can perform a settingoperation, a photographing operation and the like by touching a displayposition corresponding to a menu display or the like on the displaypanel and the like with a finger.

Note that, as the touch panel, a technique has been also developed inwhich touches at two or more points are detected to enable an intuitiveoperation (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-OpenPublication No. 2008-508601).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A photographing apparatus according to an aspect of the presentinvention includes: an image pickup section picking up an object imageto acquire a picked-up image; a display section capable of showing adisplay based on the picked-up image; a touch panel generating a signalcorresponding to a predetermined operation; and a control sectiondetecting a direction of a slide operation on the touch panel andperforming control to select one of multiple items displayed on thedisplay section on the basis of the direction of the slide operation;and the control section sets a display position of each of the multipleitems to correspond to an operation direction for selecting the item ona one to one basis and selects one of the multiple items correspondingto the direction of the slide operation in the selection.

An operation control method for a photographing apparatus according toan aspect of the present invention is an operation control method for aphotographing apparatus, the photographing apparatus including: an imagepickup section picking up an object image to acquire a picked-up image,a display section capable of showing a display based on the picked-upimage, a touch panel generating a signal corresponding to apredetermined operation, and a control section; and the control sectionsets a display position of each of the multiple items displayed on thedisplay section to correspond to an operation direction for selectingthe item on a one to one basis, detects a direction of a slide operationon the touch panel, and selects, on the basis of the detected slideoperation direction, one of the multiple items corresponding to theslide operation direction.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the inventionwill become more clearly understood from the following descriptionreferring to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of aphotographing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 2A to 2D are diagrams for illustrating an operation for displayinga menu screen;

FIGS. 3A to 3D are diagrams for illustrating an operation for setting aparameter;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for illustrating camera control;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a specific example of an operationjudgment and parameter change step at step S13 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation flow adopted in a secondembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams for illustrating the second embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation flow adopted in a thirdembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are diagrams for illustrating the third embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation flow adopted in a fourthembodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 11A to 11E are diagrams for illustrating the fourth embodiment

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detailwith reference to drawings.

(First Embodiment)

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of aphotographing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention.

First, an operation method in the present embodiment will be describedwith reference to FIGS. 2A to 2D and FIGS. 3A to 3D. FIGS. 2A to 2D arediagrams for illustrating an operation for displaying a menu screen, andFIGS. 3A to 3D are diagrams for illustrating an operation for setting aparameter.

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a photographing apparatus 1 in the presentembodiment is attached with an eye piece display section 31 (firstdisplay section), such as an electronic viewfinder, at the top surfaceof a photographing apparatus body 10 and is provided with a displaysection 17 (second display section) configured by an LCD or the like onthe back surface. The eye piece display section 31 may have a structureof being attachable to and detachable from the photographing apparatus 1or may be fixed to the photographing apparatus 1. For example, a user 41performs photographing, supporting the photographing apparatus 1 with aleft hand 42L and holding the photographing apparatus body 10 with aright hand 42R, in a state of being able to operate an interchangeablelens 20 arranged at the front of the photographing apparatus body 10. Ashutter button 35 is arranged on the right side on the top surface ofthe photographing apparatus body 10, and the user 41 performsphotographing by pressing the shutter button 35 with a forefinger 43 bof the right hand 42R.

A live view display of a picked-up image picked up by an image pickupsection 11 to be described later can be displayed on both of a displayscreen 31 a of the eye piece display section 31 and a display screen 17b of the display section 17. The eye piece display section 31 has aneyepiece (not shown), and the user can observe a live-view-displayedobject image via the eyepiece. The way of photographing in which a liveview display is confirmed by putting an eye close to the eye piecedisplay section 31 makes it possible to hold a camera stably, performframing easily and reduce movement of hands at the time of photographingat a long focal length. Furthermore, since the display screen of the eyepiece display section 31 is not influenced by sunlight, an object can beobserved in a state of being easy to see and in a state of superiorcolor reproducibility,

Therefore, it is often more advantageous for photographing to beperformed while putting an eye close to the eye piece display section 31and seeing a live view display than in the case of performingphotographing while seeing a live view display displayed on the displaysection 17. At the time of photographing, photographing parameters andthe like may be changed while observing a live view display. If thephotographing parameters can be changed in a state of keeping the eyeclose to the eye piece display section 31, that is, without seeing thedisplay screen 17 b of the display section 17, photographing can beperformed smoothly.

FIG. 2A shows an example of photographing in such a state of keeping theeye close to the eye piece display section 31. The user 41 performsphotographing in a state of holding the photographing apparatus body 10horizontally and keeping one eye 45 facing a part of the eye piecedisplay section 31 to be brought close to the eye. When thephotographing apparatus 1 is powered on, a live view display isdisplayed on the display screen 31 a of the eye piece display section 31on the basis of a picked-up image from the image pickup section 11 to bedescribed later at the time of a photographing mode. FIG. 2C shows thelive view display.

In the example of FIG. 2C, the live-view display displayed on thedisplay screen 31 a of the eye piece display section 31 shows that apicked-up image includes an image of a building 52 on the left side, animage of a scene 53 on the right side, and an image of a person 54 inthe center. When the user 41 performs an operation of pressing theshutter button 35 in this state, an image of the live-view-displayedobject is picked up and recorded. Note that the live view displaydisplayed on the eye piece display section 31 may be displayed on thedisplay screen of the display section 17 at the same time.

Now, it is assumed that the user performs an operation for specifying aphotographing parameter setting mode. In the present embodiment, thephotographing apparatus 1 is adapted to display a setting mode selectiondisplay by touching a touch panel 17 a arranged on the display section17. In this case, in the present embodiment, a position to be touched bythe user 41 may be any position on the display screen 17 b of thedisplay section 17. Therefore, the user 41 does not have to confirm theposition to touch by looking at the display screen 17 b. For example, bytouching an appropriate position on the display screen 17 b of thedisplay section 17 with a thumb 43 a or the like in a state of lookingin the display screen 31 a in the eye piece display section 31, the user41 can proceed to the photographing parameter setting mode (FIG. 2B).

FIG. 2D shows an example of the setting mode selection display. Asetting mode selection display 55 is displayed on the display screen 31a of the eye piece display section 31. In the example of FIG. 2D, thesetting mode selection display 55 has an “ASPECT” display for proceedingan aspect ratio setting mode, an “EXPOSURE COMPENSATION” display forproceeding to an exposure compensation setting mode, a “DIAPHRAGM”display for proceeding to a diaphragm setting mode, a “WB” display forproceeding to a white balance setting, an “S/S” display for proceedingto a shutter speed setting mode, a “PHOTOMETRY” display for proceedingto a photometry setting mode, an “AF” display for proceeding to a focuscontrol setting mode and a “RETURN” display for causing the setting modeselection display 55 to end, in addition to a “MENU” display indicatinga menu for current selection.

Though the setting mode selection display 55 is displayed on the displayscreen 31 a of the eye piece display section 31, the setting modeselection display 55 can be also displayed on the display screen 17 b ofthe display section 17. The position of each display in the setting modeselection display 55 indicates a direction of a slide operation for auser to select a mode. For example, since the “DIAPHRAGM” display ispositioned in an obliquely right upward direction when the “MENU”display is assumed as a reference, the “DIAPHRAGM” display indicatesthat the diaphragm setting mode is selected by the user sliding a fingertoward the obliquely right upward direction on the display screen 17 bof the display section 17.

In the present embodiment, a slide operation by the user has a meaningonly with regard to its slide direction. The starting point of the slidemay be any point. For example, FIG. 3A shows that the user's thumb hasbeen slid from a thumb 43 a 1 at a starting point position to a thumb 43a 2 at an ending point position on the display screen 17 b of thedisplay section 17 in a straight upward direction indicated by an arrow.

A slide direction is judged from the positions of the starting andending points of the user's slide operation, and a setting modecorresponding to a result of the slide direction judgment result isselected. In the example of FIG. 3A, the starting point position of theuser's thumb almost corresponds to the “S/S” display, and the endingpoint position corresponds to the “DIAPHRAGM” display. However, sincethe user has slid the finger in the almost straight upward direction,the photographing apparatus 1 judges that an operation of selecting theexposure compensation setting mode corresponding to the “EXPOSURECOMPENSATION” display positioned right above the “MENU” display has beenperformed.

Note that, even while the user is sliding the finger, the photographingapparatus 1 judges the slide direction of the finger and sequentiallydisplays judgment results. For example, in the example of FIG. 3A, adisplay showing that the “EXPOSURE COMPENSATION” display correspondingto the slide direction, the straight upward direction, is going to beselected is displayed until the user releases the finger and ends themode selection operation (FIG. 3B). In FIG. 3B, the mode the user isgoing to select is indicated by making the frame of the “EXPOSURECOMPENSATION” display thick. However, the mode may be indicated bychanging the color, shade or the like.

In the present embodiment, when a setting mode is selected, a parameterselection display 56 for setting a parameter is displayed for theselected setting mode. FIG. 3C shows an example of the parameterselection display 56. The parameter selection display 56 is displayed onthe display screen 31 a of the eye piece display section 31. In theexample of FIG. 3C, the parameter selection display 56 for exposurecompensation is shown. The parameter selection display 56 has a“DECISION” display for deciding a selected parameter, and each parameterdisplay for changing a parameter between +2.0 and −2.0 by an incrementof 0.5.

As for the parameter selection display 56 also, though it is displayedon the display screen 31 a of the eye piece display section 31, it canbe also displayed on the display screen 17 b of the display section 17.The position of each display in the parameter selection display 56indicates a direction of a slide operation for a user to select aparameter. For example, since a “+1.0” parameter display is positionedin an obliquely right upward direction when the “DECISION” display isassumed as a reference, an amount of change in parameter for increasingthe parameter by +1.0 can be selected by the user sliding a fingertoward the obliquely right upward direction on the display screen 17 bof the display section 17.

In this case also, the slide operation by the user has a meaning onlywith regard to its slide direction. The starting point of the slide maybe any point. For example, if the user slides the thumb in an obliquelyleft upward direction on the screen of the display section 17, thedirection of the user's slide operation is judged to be the obliquelyleft upward direction irrespective of positions of the starting andending points of the slide operation, and an amount of change inparameter of +2.0 corresponding to the judgment result of the slidedirection is selected. Note that, in this case also, the photographingapparatus 1 may judge a slide direction of the finger while the user issliding the finger and sequentially display judgment results.

FIG. 3D shows the above example. On the display screen 31 a of the eyepiece display section 31, a display 57 showing that an exposurecompensation mode is selected and a selection parameter display 58showing that a selected amount of change in parameter is +2.0 are shownon a view display. By the user performing an operation of deciding theselected parameter, for example, an operation of touching the displayscreen 17 b of the display section 17 in this state, the amount ofcompensation for exposure compensation is decided as +2.0.

The above description is summarized as below.

Multiple selectable “items” related to a predetermined “upper-levelitem” are individually displayed around a reference position. Themultiple “items” are information related to the predetermined“upper-level item” and belong to (are included in) the “upper-levelitem”. In FIG. 2D, “MENU” corresponds to the “upper-level item”, and“EXPOSURE COMPENSATION”, “ASPECT”, “WB”, “PHOTOMETRY”, “AF”, “RETURN”,“S/S” and “DIAPHRAGM” correspond to the “items”. FIG. 2D merely shows anexample of the “upper-level item” and the “items”. The photographingapparatus has various photographing modes. Therefore, it is possible toset “PHOTOGRAPHING MODE” as the “upper-level item” and cause selectablephotographing modes (PERSON PHOTOGRAPHING MODE, SCENE PHOTOGRAPHINGMODE, NIGHT VIEW PHOTOGRAPHING MODE, MACRO PHOTOGRAPHING MODE and thelike) to correspond to the “items”. It is also possible to set aparameter related to an operation of the photographing apparatus as the“upper-level item” and cause values set for the parameter to correspondto the “items”. As described later, in the case of regarding “EXPOSURECOMPENSATION” as the “upper-level item”, the values of the amount ofcompensation, “+1.5”, “+2.0”, “+0.5”, “−0.1”, “−1.5”, “−2.0”, “−0.5” and“+1.5” correspond to the “items” (see FIG. 3C).

In FIG. 2D, the characters “MENU” indicating the “upper-level item” isdisplayed at a predetermined position on the display screen, and thecharacters “EXPOSURE COMPENSATION”, “ASPECT”, “WB”, . . . indicating the“items” are displayed around the reference position. The form ofdisplaying the “upper-level item” and the “items” is not necessarilylimited to characters. Any display form (reduced-image icon, mark icon,symbol icon or the like) may be used if the display form is such thatthe meanings of the “upper-level item” and the “items” can be understoodtherefrom.

In FIG. 2D, the characters indicating the “items” are displayed beingarranged to be included in a rectangular shape. The shape is not limitedto a rectangle, and other shapes (polygon, triangle, circle, ellipse,semicircle and the like) may be selected. For the characters indicating“item”, a direction is set with an almost central position of the shapeas a reference. For example, the direction can be defined as follows.With a direction from “MENU” to “EXPOSURE COMPENSATION” set as areference direction (angle 0), the angle of each of the “items” ismeasured. The definition of angle (direction) is similarly applied to aslide operation on the touch panel. When the angle of each of the“items” is measured counterclockwise, +45.degree. corresponds to“ASPECT”, . . . , and +270.degree. corresponds to “DIAPHRAGM”. Bycausing the angle (direction) to correspond to each of the “items” inadvance, an “item” to be selected can be identified (distinguished) froman operation angle (operation direction) of a slide operation. One“item” is selected from the multiple “items” only by an operation angle(operation direction) determined from a locus connecting a startingposition (starting point) and ending position (ending point) of a slideoperation.

In FIG. 1, the photographing apparatus body 10 constituting thephotographing apparatus 1 has the image pickup section 11 configured byan image pickup device such as a CCD and a CMOS. The image pickupsection 11 performs photoelectric conversion of an object image from theinterchangeable lens 20 provided at the front of the photographingapparatus body 10 to obtain a photographed image signal.

The interchangeable lens 20 has a photographing optical system 21 whichleads the object image to the image pickup section 11 of thephotographing apparatus body 10. The photographing optical system 21 isprovided with lenses and the like for zooming and focusing and isprovided with a ring operation section 22 a and a shift operationsection 22 b (hereinafter, these will be also referred to as anoperation section 22) for performing drive control of the lenses. Byoperating the ring operation section 22 a and the shift operationsection 22 b configured by a zoom ring, a focus ring and the like, it ispossible to adjust not only focus but also a zoom position and thediaphragm.

The ring operation section 22 a and the shift operation section 22 boutput an operation signal based on a user operation to a controlsection 23. The control section 23 is configured by a microcomputer orthe like. The control section 23 generates a focus signal and a zoomsignal based on a rotation operation and a shift operation, on the basisof operation signals from the ring operation section 22 a and the shiftoperation section 22 b to control driving sections 24 a and 24 b.

The driving sections 24 a and 24 b configured by motors or the likedrive lenses related to focusing (hereinafter, these will be genericallyreferred to as a focus lens) and lenses related to zooming (hereinafter,these will be generically referred to as a zoom lens) which are providedfor the photographing optical system 21 to perform focus control andzoom control. The photographing optical system 21 is provided with afocus control section 21 a and a zoom control section 21 b. The focuscontrol section 21 a outputs a signal corresponding to a position of thefocus lens to a focus position judgment section 25 a. The zoom controlsection 21 b outputs a signal corresponding to a position of the zoomlens (a zoom position) to a zoom position judgment section 25 b.

The focus position judgment section 25 a judges a focus position on thebasis of the output of the focus control section 21 a and outputs ajudgment result to the control section 23. The zoom position judgmentsection 25 b judges a zoom position on the basis of the output of thezoom control section 21 b and outputs a judgment result to the controlsection 23. The control section 23 is given the judgment results of thefocus position and zoom position and controls the driving sections 24 aand 24 b so that a focus position and zoom position corresponding to anoperation of the operation section 22 are obtained.

The interchangeable lens 20 is provided with a communication section 28.The photographing apparatus body 10 is provided with a communicationsection 13. The communication section 28 performs transmission andreception of information to and from the communication section 13 of thephotographing apparatus body 10 via a predetermined transmission line.When communication with the communication section 13 of thephotographing apparatus body 10 is established, the control section 23can cause lens information and zoom information about a zoom operationstored in a recording section 26 to be transmitted to the photographingapparatus body 10 by the communication sections 28 and 13.

From the lens information, the photographing apparatus body 10 canrecognize which zoom function the interchangeable lens 20 has, and thefocal length range (magnification), focal length, brightness number andthe like of the zoom lens. The photographing apparatus body 10 is alsogiven information about a rotation operation from the ring operationsection 22 a. The control section 23 is configured so as to be providedwith a control signal from a signal processing/control section 12 of thephotographing apparatus body 10 via the communication sections 13 and 28and controlled by the signal processing/control section 12.

Note that, in the present embodiment, various interchangeable lenses canbe adopted. Furthermore, not only the interchangeable lenses but alsouninterchangeable lenses may be adopted.

The image pickup section 11 of the photographing apparatus body 10 isdrive-controlled by the signal processing/control section 12 tophotograph an object via the interchangeable lens 20 and outputs aphotographed image. The signal processing/control section 12 outputs animage pickup device driving signal to the image pickup section 11 aswell as reads the photographed image from the image pickup section 11.The signal processing/control section 12 performs predetermined signalprocessing, for example, color adjustment processing, matrix conversionprocessing, noise removal processing and other various signal processingfor the photographed image which has been read.

A clock section 14 and an operation judgment section 15 are alsoarranged in the photographing apparatus body 10. The clock section 14generates time information to be used by the signal processing/controlsection 12. The operation judgment section 15 is adapted to generate anoperation signal based on a user operation of the shutter button 35 orvarious switches not shown, such as for setting a photograph mode, whichare provided on the photographing apparatus body 10 and outputs theoperation signal to the signal processing/control section 12. The signalprocessing/control section 12 controls each section on the basis of theoperation signal.

A recording section 16 is constituted by a nonvolatile memory, a workmemory and a memory card. The nonvolatile memory stores a program codeto be executed by a CPU included in the signal processing/controlsection 12, control parameters related to operations of thephotographing apparatus and the like. The signal processing/controlsection 12 stores a photographed image of an object image acquired fromthe image pickup section 11 into the work memory and performspredetermined signal processing using the work memory. The photographedimage which has been compression-processed by the processing can beconverted to a predetermined image file and recorded into the memorycard. In addition to image information, voice information and the likecan be recorded in the memory card.

A display control section 12 c of the signal processing/control section12 can give the photographed image which has been signal-processed tothe display section 17 and the eye piece display section 31. Note thatthe eye piece display section 31 is provided with a communicationsection 32, and an image signal from the signal processing/controlsection 12 is transferred to the eye piece display section 31 via thecommunication sections 18 and 32. The display section 17 and the eyepiece display section 31 have display screens 17 b and 31 a of an LCD orthe like, respectively, and display an image given from the signalprocessing/control section 12. The display control section 12 c isadapted to be able to cause various menu displays, and the setting modeselection display 55 and parameter selection display 56 described aboveto be displayed on the display screens 17 b and 31 a.

Note that the eye piece display section 31 is provided with an eye piecesensor 33 for detecting that the user has put an eye close to the partof the eye piece display section 31 to be brought close to the eye, andthe signal processing/control section 12 can judge whether or not theuser has put an eye close to the part to be brought close to the eye (aneyepiece) according to a result of the detection by the eye piece sensor33. That is, it is possible to judge which of the first display sectionand the second display section is used, on the basis of the result ofthe detection by the eye piece sensor 33.

Furthermore, the photographing apparatus body 10 is provided with thetouch panel 17 a which outputs a detection signal according to apredetermined operation. For example, by providing the touch panel 17 aon the display screen 17 b of the display section 17, it is possible togenerate an operation signal corresponding to a position on the displayscreen 17 b which the user points at with a finger. Thereby, the touchoperation detection section 12 b of the signal processing/controlsection 12 can detect an operation of the user touching on the displayscreen 17 b of the display section 17 (an operation of pressing) and canalso detect, when the user performs a slide operation of sliding afinger on the display screen 17 b of the display section 17, a slidedirection of the slide operation.

By controlling each section, the signal processing/control section 12sets a photographing mode based on a user operation and realizes aphotographing function corresponding to each photographing mode. Forexample, a parameter control section 12 a of the photographing apparatusbody 10 is given a result of detection by the touch operation detectionsection 12 b and sets a parameter corresponding to a touch operation anda slide operation which the user has performed on the display screen 17b of the display section 17. For example, the parameter control section12 a sets respective parameters for aspect ratio, exposure, diaphragm,white balance, shutter speed, photometry, focus control and the like,according to a user's touch and slide operations.

Next, an operation of the embodiment configured as described above willbe described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a flowchart forillustrating camera control, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing aspecific example of an operation judgment and parameter change step atstep S13 in FIG. 4.

At step S1 in FIG. 4, when it is detected that the photographingapparatus 1 is powered on, the signal processing/control section 12judges whether or not the photographing mode has been specified, at anext step S2. If the photographing mode has not been specified, thesignal processing/control section 12 judges whether or not areproduction mode has been specified, at step S3. If the reproductionmode is specified, the signal processing/control section 12 performsreproduction of a selected image at step S4. When the user makes aninstruction to change the image to be reproduced, the signalprocessing/control section 12 moves the process from step S5 to S6 andchanges the image. Note that, if the reproduction mode has not beenspecified at step S3, the signal processing/control section 12 proceedsto an image communication mode for transmitting the photographed image,at step S8.

On the other hand, if the photographing mode is specified, the signalprocessing/control section 12 performs close-eye judgment at step S11.The sensor 33 for detecting that the user has put an eye close to thepart of the eye piece display section 31 to be brought close to the eyeis provided near the eye piece display section 31, and the signalprocessing/control section 12 can judge whether or not the user has putan eye close to the part to be brought close to the eye by a result ofdetection by the sensor 33.

If judging that the user has not put an eye close to the part to bebrought close to the eye, by the close-eye judgment, the signalprocessing/control section 12 moves the process to step S14 and performslive view display of a picked-up image (through image) on the displaysection 17 on the basis of an image signal from the image pickup section11. Furthermore, the signal processing/control section 12 judges variousoperations by the user at step S15 and performs various settingoperations, for example, an operation of changing various parameterssuch as a photographing parameter, a photographing operation and thelike on the basis of a judgment result. Here, since operations areperformed while an object displayed on the screen is being seen,operations including a touch releasing operation to be described laterwith reference to FIG. 10 can be performed. That the user has touched anobject is assumed to mean that the user has found an interesting objectthat the user has intuitively selected, and photographing is performedwith focus and exposure adjusted for a touch point.

When the user puts an eye close to the part to be brought close to theeye at the time of the photographing mode, the signal processing/controlsection 12 moves the process from step S11 to step S12 and displays athrough image on the display screen 31 a of the eye piece displaysection 31. Furthermore, the signal processing/control section 12 judgesan operation by the user at step S13 and changes a parameter on thebasis of a judgment result.

FIG. 5 shows a specific example of the operation judgment method.Especially, a state is assumed in which it is possible to perform anoperation without seeing the touch panel when the eye is put close tothe part to be brought close to the eye. In this case, since an objectitself is not touched, it is not necessary to assume touch release.However, there is a restriction that display on a touched part cannot beconfirmed. At step S21 in FIG. 5, the touch operation detection section12 b of the signal processing/control section 12 detects whether or notthe user has touched the touch panel 17 a arranged on the displaysection 17.

Now, it is assumed that the user performs parameter setting forphotographing while confirming an object by a live view display by theeye piece display section 31. In this case, the user touches the displaysection 17 with a finger, confirming the live view display on the eyepiece display section 31. The touch is not a touch on the eye piecesection.

At step S22, the signal processing/control section 12 judges whether ornot the mode for setting a parameter has been already decided. If themode has not been decided, the signal processing/control section 12judges that an operation for selecting the mode for setting a parameterhas been performed by detection of a touch by the signalprocessing/control section 12. If the touch continues, for example, forone second or more as a result of detection by the signalprocessing/control section 12, the display control section 12 c movesthe process from step S23 to step S24 and causes, for example, thesetting mode selection display shown in FIG. 2D to be displayed on thedisplay screen 17 b of the display section 17. Here, since the touch ismade without being able to perform visual confirmation, the display isshown on the basis of time period management. However, the display maybe shown on the basis of a particular touch operation, tap operation orslide operation.

The signal processing/control section 12 may decide a mode through theprocess from steps S25 to S35 irrespective of whether or not the settingmode selection display is displayed on the display section. At step S25,the touch operation detection section 12 b judges whether or not theposition of the touching finger has changed from the touched point, thatis, whether or not the user is performing a slide operation. If the userhas performed a slide operation, the touch operation detection section12 b judges a slide direction with the touch starting point as areference (step S26). As described above, since the touched positionitself is not involved in the operation, it is possible to perform anoperation without visual confirmation.

The signal processing/control section 12 selects a setting modecorresponding to the slide direction on the basis of a result ofdetection by the touch operation detection section 12 b (step S27), anda display corresponding to the selected mode is displayed in a thickframe as in FIG. 3B (step S29).

When the user releases the finger from the touch panel 17 a, the signalprocessing/control section 12 decides the selected mode (step S30).Until the user releases the finger, the mode decision at step S30 is notperformed. Therefore, even if the user slides the finger in a wrongdirection, the user can select a desired mode by sliding the finger in aright direction without releasing the finger.

When the user touches the touch panel 17 a again in a state that themode is decided, the signal processing/control section 12 moves theprocess from step S22 to step S31, and the display control section 12 cjudges whether or not the touch has continued, for example, for onesecond or more on the basis of a result of detection by the signalprocessing/control section 12 (step S31). If the touch continues for onesecond or more, the display control section 12 c causes, for example,the parameter selection display shown in FIG. 3C to be displayed on thedisplay screen 17 b of the display section 17 (step S32). Here again, amethod other than the method by time period management, such as a methodby tapping, may be adopted.

The signal processing/control section 12 decides a parameter (or anamount of change) through steps S33 to S37 irrespective of whether ornot the parameter selection display is displayed on the screen. At stepS33, the touch operation detection section 12 b judges whether or notthe user has released the finger from the touch panel 17 a. If thefinger is released, the touch operation detection section 12 b judgeswhether or not a slide is performed, at step S34. If a slide operationhas been performed, the signal processing/control section 12 judges aslide direction with the touch starting point as a reference and selectsa parameter corresponding to the slide direction, at a next step S35.The display control section 12 c of the signal processing/controlsection 12 displays a display corresponding to the selected parameter ina thick frame (step S36).

Note that, since the parameter selection operation is performed untilthe finger is released from the touch panel 17 a, the user can select adesired parameter by sliding the finger in a right direction withoutreleasing the finger even if he/she slides the finger in a wrongdirection.

In order to decide the selected parameter, the user touches the touchpanel 17 a again and releases the finger from the touch panel 17 awithout sliding the finger. Thereby, the process moves from step S34 tostep S37, and the parameter control section 12 a decides the selectedparameter. The decided parameter is recorded in the nonvolatile memory(recording section) as a control parameter. The signalprocessing/control section 12 controls each section according to thedecided parameter and ends the mode setting.

Note that the decision of a parameter is performed by touching the touchpanel 17 a with a finger and releasing the finger without sliding it. Inthis case, it is conceivable that the user repeats a slide operationmultiple times while the parameter selection display is displayed. Inthis case, a parameter may be decided on the basis of the last slideoperation performed by the user. Otherwise, the amount of change inparameter specified by each slide operation is integrated to set anintegrated value as a set value of the parameter. Such addition ofparameters by repetition can be said to be an intuitive operation. It isbecause the number of operations is converted to change in a parameter.

The above operation is summarized as below.

A parameter (exposure compensation) corresponds to the “upper-levelitem”, and a value (an amount of change) to be set for the parametercorresponds to the “item”. That is, at the time of selecting an amountof change (“item”), the selection screen (FIG. 3C) is displayed. Whenselection of an amount of change (“item”) ends, the decision screen(FIG. 3D) is displayed to set the selected amount of change (“item”) forthe parameter (to decide the amount of change (“item”) as theparameter).

Note that, if a touch is not detected at step S21, the signalprocessing/control section 12 deletes the display for mode setting shownin FIGS. 2A to 2D and FIGS. 3A to 3D to return to the state ofdisplaying only a through image, after elapse of a predetermined timeperiod.

When the parameter is set, the signal processing/control section 12judges whether or not a photographing operation has been performed, atstep S16 in FIG. 4 next. If the user operates the shutter button 35 andperforms photographing, the signal processing/control section 12performs photographing at step S17. The signal processing/controlsection 12 performs predetermined signal processing for a picked-upimage from the image pickup section 11 to generate a picked-up image.The signal processing/control section 12 gives the generated picked-upimage to the recording section 16 and converts it to an image file.

As described above, in the present embodiment, setting operations formode setting, photographing parameter setting and the like can beperformed by touch and slide operations. In this case, not a touchposition but only a slide direction is used to decide a mode and aparameter, and the user does not have to confirm a position to touch bylooking at a display screen. Therefore, it is possible to easily performa setting operation even during photographing. For example, it ispossible to certainly perform parameter setting and the like byperforming a slide operation on the panel on the back surface in a stateof looking in the display screen in the eye piece display section, andit is possible to enhance intuitiveness, responsiveness and operability.Furthermore, by making it possible to change a numerical value byrepeating the same slide operation or changing a slide distance, it ispossible to perform an intuitive, speedy and flexible operation. Aproblem is eliminated that there is some position a finger cannot reach,and a necessary operation can be easily performed by an operation with ashort thumb with fewer joints and a lower degree of freedom. Therefore,the camera can be kept being held without necessity of changing the wayof holding it, and unintentional movement of hands can be suppressed.

Since an operation can be performed in a state of looking in the displayscreen of the eye piece display section, it is possible to performframing more easily, reduce unintentional movement at the time ofphotographing at a long focal length and hold a camera more stably thanin the case of releasing an eye from the eye piece display section.Furthermore, since the display screen is not influenced by sunlight, itis possible to certainly observe an object in a state of the objectbeing easily viewed with superior color reproducibility. Thereby, it ispossible to certainly confirm a composition or setting of a parameter,and the user does not miss the very best moment for taking a picture.

In the photographing apparatus 1 described above, the touch panel 17 ais arranged on the display section 17. However, the position ofarrangement of the touch panel is not limited to be on the displaysection 17. The touch panel may be arranged at any position on thephotographing apparatus 1 if it is possible to perform an operationusing the eye piece display section 31. The display section 17, which isthe second display section, is not necessarily required. The presentinvention can be applied to a photographing apparatus 1 without thedisplay section 17.

(Second Embodiment)

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation flow adopted in a secondembodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, the same procedure stepsas in FIG. 5 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptionthereof will be omitted. FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams for illustratingthe second embodiment. A hardware configuration in the presentembodiment is similar to that in the first embodiment.

The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment only inthe way of selecting and deciding a parameter. FIG. 7B is a diagramshowing an example of a parameter selection display in the secondembodiment. As shown in FIG. 7B, on the display screen 31 a of the eyepiece display section 31, a display 61 showing that the exposurecompensation mode is selected, a display 62 showing that the amount ofchange in parameter is decreased by a predetermined amount, a display 63showing that the amount of change in parameter is increased by apredetermined amount, a display 64 showing that the current amount ofchange in parameter is +2.0, and a display 65 indicating a returndirection are displayed on a live view display.

At step S41 in FIG. 6, the touch operation detection section 12 b of thesignal processing/control section 12 judges whether or not a slideoperation has been performed in a preset return direction. The returndirection is a slide direction for ending the current setting mode. Inthe example of FIG. 7B, the return direction is a straight downwarddirection shown by the display 65.

If the operation is not an operation in the return direction, the touchoperation detection section 12 b judges whether or not the operation isan operation in a numerical value decision direction, at a next stepS42. If judging that the operation is the operation in the numericalvalue decision direction, the signal processing/control section 12increases or decreases the amount of change in parameter by 1 step (apredetermined amount of change) each time the slide operation isperformed (step S43).

For example, as shown in FIG. 7A, if the user slides the thumb from athumb 43 a 1 at a starting point position to a thumb 43 a 2 at an endingpoint position on the display screen 17 b of the display section 17 in aleft direction indicated by an arrow, the signal processing/controlsection 12 decreases the amount of change in parameter by thepredetermined amount. On the contrary, if the user slides a finger in aright direction, the signal processing/control section 12 increases theamount of change in parameter by the predetermined amount. The displaycontrol section 12 c displays the current amount of change in parameteras the display 64.

In this way, in response to an operation of the user sliding a finger inthe right or left direction, the amount of change in parameter increasesor decreases. If judging that the slide direction is the returndirection, the signal processing/control section 12 moves the process tostep S44 and decides the current numerical value as the amount ofincrease/decrease in parameter.

The signal processing/control section 12 sets various parameters such asaspect ratio, exposure, diaphragm, white balance, shutter speed,photometry, focus control and the like in accordance with the amount ofchange in parameter based on the user operation.

As described above, in the present embodiment also, advantages similarto those of the first embodiment can be obtained. In the presentembodiment, it is sufficient to perform only operations in twodirections for increasing and decreasing a parameter, and there is anadvantage that an operation is much simpler. It goes without saying thatthe features and advantages described in the first embodiment areobtained though description thereof is not repeated.

(Third Embodiment)

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation flow adopted in a thirdembodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 8, the same procedure stepsas in FIG. 6 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptionthereof will be omitted. FIGS. 9A and 9B are diagrams for illustratingthe third embodiment. A hardware configuration in the present embodimentis similar to that in the first embodiment.

The present embodiment is different from the second embodiment only inthe way of selecting and deciding a parameter. In the presentembodiment, the signal processing/control section 12 is giveninformation about a ring operation of the ring operation section 22 afrom the interchangeable lens 20 and changes the amount of change inparameter according to the ring operation.

FIG. 9B is a diagram showing an example of a parameter selection displayin the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9B, on the display screen 31 aof the eye piece display section 31, a display 61 showing that theexposure compensation mode is selected, an operation aid display 71showing a rotation direction for decreasing the amount of change inparameter (−direction) by a predetermined amount, an operation aiddisplay 72 showing a rotation direction for increasing the amount ofchange in parameter (+direction) by the predetermined amount, and adisplay 64 showing that the current amount of change in parameter is+2.0 are displayed on a live view display.

At step S51 in FIG. 8, the display control section 12 c of the signalprocessing/control section 12 displays the operation aid displays 71 and72. Next, at step S52, the signal processing/control section 12 judgeswhether or not a finger has been released from the touch panel 17 a. Ifthe finger is released, the signal processing/control section 12 endsthe parameter increase/decrease operation and moves the process to stepS44. In the present embodiment, the parameter increase/decreaseoperation by the ring operation section 22 a is accepted during a periodduring which the user keeps the finger touching.

The user rotates the ring operation section 22 a in a clockwise orcounterclockwise direction in order to decide an amount ofincrease/decrease in parameter. The signal processing/control section 12judges whether or not a ring operation has been operated, at step S53,and changes a parameter according to the operation (step S54). Thesignal processing/control section 12 increases the parameter when theuser rotates the ring operation section 22 a in the clockwise direction,and decreases the parameter when the user rotates the ring operationsection 22 a in the counterclockwise direction.

In this case, the signal processing/control section 12 sets a valuecorresponding to the amount of rotation of the ring operation section 22a as the amount of increase/decrease in parameter. The display controlsection 12 c displays the current amount of change in parameter as thedisplay 63.

Other components and operation are similar to those of the secondembodiment.

As described above, in the present embodiment also, advantages similarto those of the first embodiment can be obtained. In the presentembodiment, a parameter can be increased or decreased by a simpleoperation by the ring operation section. There is an advantage that, ina state of being able to use right and left hands at the same time, theoperability is further improved.

In each of the embodiments described above, the description has beenmade on the assumption that a finger touching the touch panel can beslid in all directions. However, there may be a case that the fingercannot be necessarily slid in all directions, for example, as in thecase of touching an end part of a screen first. In this case, a displaymay be displayed which shows that it is not possible to select a mode orparameter corresponding to a direction in which sliding is impossible.For example, as such a display, a display is conceivable in which thecolor or shade of an appropriate part on the setting mode selectiondisplay and the parameter selection display is shown different fromother parts. In this case, the user can select all the modes andparameters by touching again a position where sliding in all directionis possible. It goes without saying that the features and advantagesdescribed in the first embodiment are obtained though descriptionthereof is not repeated. In a state in which a lens section has anoperation member and both hands can be used, it is possible to performan operation with a higher degree of freedom without unintentionalmovement of hands or interruption of framing, including an operation ofthe lens section which has to be grasped at the time of framing.Furthermore, it is possible to adopt an operation which the userintuitively wants to do, such as a touch release, without inconsistencyand it is possible to provide a camera which satisfies the usersufficiently.

(Fourth Embodiment)

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation flow adopted in a fourthembodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 10, the same proceduresteps as in FIG. 8 are given the same reference numerals, anddescription thereof will be omitted. FIGS. 11A to 11E are diagrams forillustrating the fourth embodiment. A hardware configuration in thepresent embodiment is similar to that in the first embodiment.

In the photographing apparatus 1, not only an operation of pressing theshutter button 35 but also a touch operation on the display screen 17 bof the display section 17 is an operation for performing photographingand recording. The signal processing/control section 12 has a functionof, when the user touches a display part of an object to be brought intofocus, on a display of a picked-up image displayed on the displaysection 17 (a live view display), causing the object to be brought intofocus, and acquiring and recording the picked-up image (hereinafterreferred to as a touch photographing function).

The present embodiment makes it possible to, in a photographingapparatus having the touch photographing function also, set aphotographing parameter when a live view display is displayed byoperating the touch panel 17 a.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for selectionof a setting mode and selection of a parameter in the presentembodiment. The procedure can be adopted, for example, as step S15 inFIG. 4.

When the eye piece display section 31 is removed from the photographingapparatus 1 or when the user releases an eye from the eye piece displaysection 31 at the time of the photographing mode, a live view displaymay be displayed on the display screen 17 b of the display section 17.FIG. 11A shows such a photographing state. The user 41 releases an eye45 from the photographing apparatus body 10, supports the photographingapparatus body 10 with the left hand 42L and operates the display screen17 b arranged on the display section 17 with the right hand to performsetting of a photographing parameter and a photographing operation.

The signal processing/control section 12 has the touch photographingfunction, and it is necessary to identify whether an operation on thetouch panel 17 a is an operation of setting a photographing parameter ora photographing operation. Therefore, in the present embodiment, it isjudged at step S61 whether or not a user's finger has touched a partother then an end part of the screen.

In the case of setting a photographing parameter or the like, the userslides a finger from the outside of the screen into the screen. FIG. 11Bshows the slide operation. The user slides the thumb from a thumb 43 a 1at a starting point position to a thumb 43 a 2 at an ending pointposition in a direction from an end part of the display screen 17 b ofthe display section 17 toward the central side shown by an arrow 81. Inthis case, the user's finger comes in contact with the touch panel 17 aat the end part of the screen first. If judging that the user's touchoperation is performed on a part other than the end part of the screen,at step S61, the touch operation detection section 12 b of the signalprocessing/control section 12 brings the touch point into focus and thenperforms photographing at step S63. Since an object of interest isgenerally displayed on the central side of a screen, photographing canbe performed at step S63 by touching the object of interest.

If judging that the user has touched an end part of the screen, thetouch operation detection section 12 b judges whether or not the fingerhas slid from the end part of the screen to the central part side of thescreen, that is, whether or not an operation of causing the finger toenter the screen from the outside of the screen has been performed, at anext step S62. When the slide operation shown in FIG. 11B is performed,the signal processing/control section 12 moves the process to step S22and judges whether or not a mode has been already decided.

If a mode has not been decided yet, the display control section 12 c ofthe signal processing/control section 12 displays a setting modeselection display, for example, at a position the finger touches. FIG.11C shows a state in which a setting mode selection display 82 isdisplayed in a through image display on the display screen 17 b. FIG.11C shows an example of selecting a mode by one of four icons obtainedby dividing the setting mode selection display 82 into four. Three ofthe four icons show that they are for selecting modes of “EXPOSURE”,“STROBE” and “FOCUS”, respectively. The display control section 12 cturns the respective icons with the center of the setting mode selectiondisplay 82 as an axis so that the user can visually confirm the iconhidden under the finger (step S64).

Through steps S25 to S27, the touch operation detection section 12 bdetects a setting mode corresponding to an icon selected on the basis ofin which icon direction the user has slid the finger. The displaycontrol section 12 c surrounds the icon on the setting mode selectiondisplay 82 with a thick frame display 83 (FIG. 11D) (step S28). In thepresent embodiment, the signal processing/control section 12 decides theselected setting mode as a mode to be used, at step S30.

An operation performed after the decision of the mode is similar to thatin the embodiment in FIG. 8. During a period during which the usercauses the finger 43 a to touch the touch panel 17 a, a ring operationby the ring operation section 22 a is accepted (see FIG. 11E). Thesignal processing/control section 12 increases the parameter when theuser rotates the ring operation section 22 a in the clockwise direction,and decreases the parameter when the user rotates the ring operationsection 22 a in the counterclockwise direction. The signalprocessing/control section 12 sets a value corresponding to the amountof rotation of the ring operation section 22 a as the amount of theparameter. The display control section 12 c displays the current amountof change in parameter as the display 64.

Other components and operation are similar to those of the thirdembodiment.

As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to set aphotographing parameter and the like only by touch and slide operationsin a photographing apparatus having the function of performing aphotographing operation by touching a display screen. If it is enabledto change a numerical value by repeating the same slide operation orchanging a slide distance, it is possible to perform an intuitive,speedy and flexible operation. A problem is eliminated that a fingercannot reach some position of a touch member, and a necessary operationcan be performed easily, simply and quickly by performing an operationwith a thumb. Therefore, the camera can be kept being held withoutnecessity of changing the way of holding it, and unintentional movementof hands can be suppressed. To repeat redundant description, it ispossible to adopt an operation which the user intuitively wants to do,such as a touch release, without inconsistency and it is possible toprovide a camera which satisfies the user sufficiently. Of course, sincethe operation is performed while the screen is being seen, the operationmay be performed with a forefinger. In this case also, since it is notnecessary to touch a limited definite point, a quick and intuitiveoperation without a malfunction is possible.

Furthermore, in each of the embodiments of the present invention,description has been made with a digital camera as an apparatus forphotographing. However, a digital single-lens reflex camera or a compactdigital camera may be used as the camera, and a camera for motionpicture, such as a video camera and a movie camera, may also be used.Furthermore, a camera included in a mobile information terminal (PDA:personal digital assistant), such as a mobile phone and a smartphone,may be used, of course.

Furthermore, the present invention is applicable to electronicapparatuses having a display section on which a touch panel is arranged,for example, a monitor for computer, a multifunction TV (a smart TV, aconnected TV, a hybrid TV) and the like.

The present invention is not immediately limited to each of theembodiments described above. At the stage of practice, the presentinvention can be embodied by modifying components within a range notdeparting from the spirit thereof. Furthermore, various inventions canbe formed by appropriately combining the multiple components disclosedin each of the embodiments described above. For example, some of all thecomponents shown in the embodiments may be eliminated. Furthermore,components in different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

Even when description is made with the use of “first”, “next” and thelike for convenience with regard to an operation flow in the claims, thespecification and the drawings, it does not mean that the flow isnecessarily to be implemented in that order. Furthermore, it goeswithout saying that each of steps constituting such an operation flowmay be appropriately omitted if the step is a part that does notinfluence the essence of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A photographing apparatus comprising: an imagepickup section picking up an object image to acquire a picked-up image;a display section capable of showing a display based on the picked-upimage; a touch panel generating a signal corresponding to apredetermined operation; and a control section detecting a direction ofa slide operation on the touch panel and performing control to selectone of multiple items displayed on the display section on the basis ofthe direction of the slide operation; wherein the control section sets adisplay position of each of the multiple items to correspond to anoperation direction for selecting the item on a one to one basis andselects one of the multiple items corresponding to the direction of theslide operation irrespective of a position of a starting point of touchon the touch panel by the slide operation, in the selection.
 2. Thephotographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controlsection combines the display based on the picked-up image with thedisplay for changing a photographing parameter and displays thecombination on the display section.
 3. The photographing apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the display section is of an eye piecetype.
 4. The photographing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein thedisplay section is of an eye piece type.
 5. The photographing apparatusaccording to claim 3, wherein the touch panel is provided on a displayscreen of another display section different from the display section. 6.The photographing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the touchpanel is provided on a display screen of another display sectiondifferent from the display section.
 7. The photographing apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the touch panel is provided on a displayscreen of the display section.
 8. The photographing apparatus accordingto claim 2, wherein the touch panel is provided on a display screen ofthe display section.
 9. The photographing apparatus according to claim1, wherein the control section displays a setting mode selection displayand a parameter selection display for each setting mode as displays forchanging a photographing parameter; and the control section causes thesetting mode selection display to be displayed in response to a touchoperation on the touch panel and performs selection of a setting mode,display of the parameter selection display corresponding to the selectedsetting mode and selection of a parameter on the basis of a result ofthe detection of the slide direction.
 10. An operation control methodfor a photographing apparatus, the photographing apparatus comprising:an image pickup section picking up an object image to acquire apicked-up image; a display section capable of showing a display based onthe picked-up image; a touch panel generating a signal corresponding toa predetermined operation; and a control section, the method comprising:setting a display position of each of the multiple items displayed onthe display section to correspond to an operation direction forselecting the item on a one to one basis by the control section;detecting a direction of a slide operation on the touch panel by thecontrol section; and selecting, on the basis of the detected slideoperation direction and irrespective of a position of a starting pointof touch on the touch panel by the slide operation, one of the multipleitems corresponding to the slide operation direction, by the controlsection.
 11. A photographing apparatus comprising: an image pickupsection picking up an object image to acquire a picked-up image; adisplay section capable of showing a display based on the picked-upimage; a touch panel generating a signal corresponding to apredetermined operation; and a control section detecting a direction ofa slide operation on the touch panel and performing control to selectone of multiple items displayed on the display section on the basis ofthe direction of the slide operation; wherein the control section sets adisplay position of each of the multiple items to correspond to anoperation direction for selecting the item on a one to one basis andselects one of the multiple items corresponding to the direction of theslide operation such that the starting point of the slide operation maybe at any point on the touch panel, in the selection.